Cliff Fittir (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aerialassault) wrote2012-01-12 04:51 pm
aerialassault) wrote2012-01-12 04:51 pm
Entry tags:
Character Information
Mun
Name: Stark
Dreamwidth Username:starkxravingxmad
E-mail: caster023@gmail.com
AIM: caster023@gmail.com
Current Characters at Luceti:
Arsene Lupin III |redjacketthief
Character
Name: Cliff Fittir
Fandom: Star Ocean Till the End of Time
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Time Period:
Wing Color: Black
History:
Link to info on the Star Ocean Wiki
Personality: Cliff truly seems to be the embodiment of a stereotypical fighter character in a JRPG-- he's a boisterous, fun loving, and tough man that has a heart of gold underneath the overconfident and even temperamental attitude...but, underneath the casual, laid-back, and sometimes crude demeanor is an uncommon wisdom, intuition, and intellect. Though he is no genius, he has the experience that his fellow party members lack, and his bits of advice that he slips in off hand during the first half of the game show hints of this before the player realizes what's going on. However, his repeated jokes throughout quickly make everyone involved forget about this undercurrent...not that it truly matters to Cliff himself.
As both a Klausian and a member of Quark, Cliff has a high respect for self-reliance, a dislike for the all encompassing order that the Federation represents, and he generally treats everyone on the same level regardless of their age, gender, or social position. A lot of this is an ingrained, cultural quirk...but parts of it are fueled by his own unwilingness to follow a system that goes against his beliefs. Though he introduces himself as merely a member of Quark, it is eventually revealed that Cliff was indeed the founder of this organization, and that he willingly stepped down from that position in favor of working in the background. He is a highly observant, intuitive man with experience in tactics and military strategy, and he is an extremely capable international and even interplanetary negotiator. His retirement from his political 'career' was by his will alone-- he passed the duties off to a young woman that he deemed more than capable of this position, his charge Maria Traydor.
These skills aren't used once more by choice. He prefers his position in the background, and he slowly starts to fill the position of a mentor and advisor as the story goes on, and he chooses to remain in that support position.. During the duration of their stay on Elicoor III, Cliff consistently allowed Fayt to take the reigns of their entire journey, right down to the final decision of whether they helped the kingdom of Aquaria in their war against Aeryglyph or not. Throughout this he offered his subtle support, such as when he temporarily took the reigns when they met Nel to answer he questions, and allowed her own imagination fill in the gaps left in his bare description of their plight. This gave them their cover story, that they were a pair of stranded engineers from the far away country of Greeton, and it allowed them to travel the lands with little outside complaint. His underlying support is shown in other ways too, such as when he manages bluntly cut through the evasions that Clair Lasbard was making in her explanation for Nel's absense when Nel went to rescue her subordinates, Tynave and Farleen. He is also a light sleeper, as he was fully aware of Nel's midnight visit before she set off on her near suicidal rescue attempt, and when he was there to exchange a few words with Fayt on a night when Fayt himself couldn't sleep because of his concerns over a young woman called Ameena. This ties into Cliff's own abilities of observation-- he was the first among the party to realize that Ameena was a very ill young woman....and it allowed him to draw upon his own knowledge and experiences to know exactly what to look for in Fayt's actions that could be an early warning of Fayt unleashing his own raw power of destruction in a fit of emotional outrage.
His laid-back attitude is a boon in these moments, as he is able to keep his cool and diffuse the situation before it even begins to to look like a problem. Unfortunately, his laid-back attitude can reach the extreme ends. He doesn't always follow formalities in negotiations, preferring instead to get to the truth with as little details as possible. He doesn't always bother with preamble, but he does use a degree of charm in these situations. These are the moments when people regret not taking him seriously, as it is the surprise factor and his own charisma that earned him the respect of his people. He is dedicated to his word, to the point where it takes priority over is own misgivings.. Even after it becomes apparent that Fayt doesn't need a bodyguard, Cliff still remains in that position. He genuinely wishes to help Fayt in any capacity that he is able, and he's not going to waver from it for a moment.
Unfortunately, this laid-back attitude can also manifest in a rather explosive temper. His blunt, cutting remarks can quickly shift into mocking threats when his pride as a man is insulted, and this can even border on starting a brawl on impulse if he feels that the offender needs that kind of treatment. Furthermore, he truly loves a good fight, and he throws his all into it. His taunts include straightforward threats of violence, and it's not uncommon to hear him declaring that he's 'gonna pulverize' someone or 'gonna mow them down.' This is what truly makes him a boisterous fighter.
Ultimately, the underlying factor in all of this is Cliff's inherent honesty. Though he is known to gloss over the details of a situation if it seems like they will only cause more trouble, he never tells a direct lie. Furthermore, this is what makes him both a good advisor and a good negotiator. He's straightforward, friendly, good natured, and prefers to keep everything as simple as possible on every occasion. It's the foundation of his every action...and its the core of his person. It's something that he cannot and will not waver on, no matter the games that he does play.
Strengths:
Physical -
'Because I'm such a nice guy, I'll let you in on a little secret. Those bullets of yours don't work on us Klausians.'
These are some of the first words that Cliff says during his first appearance on Vanguard III, right before the battle with the gang leader Norton, and it says so much yet so little about his physical prowess. At first the player assumes that it's a boast of his physical might--but no, it's his speed. A large and physically imposing man, Cliff is stronger and more coordinated than the average Earthling...because he's not one. He hails from the Klaus system of planets, specifically Klaus IV. The main homeworld of that system, Klaus III, is known for its high gravity and low oxygen in comparison to Earth. These harsh conditions have forced the natives to adapt, which accounts to their relative comparison to Olympic level atheletes while on other worlds. Cliff's boast during that first encounter didn't refer to his durability, but his agility. He's able to dodge bullets as if they were toys.
In addition to this, Cliff has had years of martial arts training at the dojo that was run by the father of his long time friend, Mirage Koas. This, combined with his inborn physical capabilities, makes him a fearsome close quarters combatant. He specializes in unarmed combat, preferring to wear a pair of gauntlets in lieu of carrying a gun or a sword. Standard weapons are even a hinderance to him, as his most powerful moves are in his rapid fire punches, his grappling capabilities, and his canonball-like tackles.
In short, Cliff is strong, he knows it, and he's not afraid to use it.
Mental -
The boastful bravado of a man who truly enjoys a good fight covers up a surprising part of Cliff's personality. More than he is a good natured and playful bodyguard, Cliff is a very intelligent man who is knowledgable about tactics, politics, and is generally quite clever. Though he isn't one to state it outright, he is the man who founded the anti-Federation, terrorist organization known as Quark. The player, along with Fayt, spend the first half of the game not even knowing this, as Cliff had positioned himself as both Fayt's abductor and bodyguard. Though he seemed bullheaded at first, there were hints the entire time that he knew far more than he was letting on. He knew from the beginning that Fayt was more than just an average college student, and that Fayt was the target for the Vendeeni battleships that attacked the vacation planet, Hyda IV, and Cliff's transport ship. the Eagle, during their short journey. However, part of the reason that he didn't reveal this to Fayt was because he knew exactly what Fayt was capable of. The raw power of destruction that was encoded in Fayt's very DNA had the potential to activate in moments of extreme emotional duress--Cliff's evasions of the entire truth were to spare both Fayt and the surrounding people the sheer trauma of this power uncontrollably awakening.
He evades the full truth only at times when the details would only complicate things. The first example was when they were rescued by Nel from the Aeryglyph dungeons. Upon her demands to know who they were and why they were in that country, he gave her the short version of their situation and let her own imagination fill in the gaps. This, effectively, gave them their cover story during their stay on Elicoor III.
Besides this capacity to be quick on his feet, Cliff is a very observant individual who has been known to keep his own counsel. That said, he never once tells a direct lie to any of the people that he's dealing with, and his own intelligence and experience allowed him to effectively encourage the queen of Aquaria to seek a truce with the king of Aeryglyph in the manga adaptation. He's also a skilled negotiator, when he choses to be.
But only when he so chooses.
Emotional -
'I've got a hunch...'
Besides being intelligent and strong, Cliff is able to keep a clear head in even the most desperate of situations. His own intelligence guides him, but so does his intuition. He relies on his experience, his 'hunches' and his trust in others to help him guide everyone through difficult situations, and his absolute confidence in his and everyone else's capabilities does much to keep the party's spirits up. Even in the face of desperate circumstances, his confidence never once wavers-- in fact, he's quite boastful and will taunt his enemies prior to a battle, once again because he truly enjoys the thrill of the fight. In the manga adaptation of the game, this same confidence is both genuine and used to help gloss over the details after he was injured in a fight with Albel the Wicked. Though he won, he was injured enough that performing his own attacks caused him discomfort and urged Maria to order him to stay down while she and Fayt went to the Temple of Apris in search for the Sacred Orb that was hidden underneath its foundation. Similarly, he covers any hint of uncertainty with his confidence. The only clue that he was at all concerned about the demands that the Vendeeni made of Quark in regards to Fayt, Professor Leingod, and Sophia was in his silence when Mirage bade him 'good luck'. His only reply was to not look at her and pat her shoulder, as he knew they were walking into a trap that he couldn't find a way out of.
Along with his confidence, his playfulness is also genuine. He is a man that truly loves his work, even when the details become complicated. Though, these same complications were probably a factor in his decision to step down as the Leader of Quark and hand the reigns over to his young charge, Maria Traydor. The larger reason was that she, infact, saved his life and the lives of the rest of the crew on the Diplo with her own nacent powers. This incident brought many questions to light for Maria, and she devoted her everything to finding the answers. Upon seeing her potential as a leader and the questions that she would only be able to answer with the full resources that Quark could provide. He willingly stepped down, and chose to act as advisor, field agent, and bodyguard for the young woman in a capacity similar to how he treats Fayt. He stepped back entirely and allowed his charges to call the shots with the promise of his undying support. He handed the decision over whether or not they would help Aquaria finish their Runological weapon entirely up to Fayt. This tendency is observed throughout, and he even insists that he go along when Fayt makes the impulsive decision to rescue Ameena from the mountains after she collapsed. He doesn't mind taking on this role either, as the spotlight isn't necessary for him to be fairly content in what he does.
Underneath his confidence and level headed demeanor is a heavy humanitarian streak. It's mentioned in in-game dialogue that Cliff founded Quark in part because he was sick of seeing the common people suffer because of a war that they weren't a part of. It was made as an egalitarian aid group that offered support where the Federation couldn't, no matter the allegiance of the planet or colony that they were helping. When this was commented on, he brushed it off. "Nah. It was nothing like that. I just don't like taking orders from people I don't like." This trait is complimented by his sense of duty and responsibility. Though he was willing to follow Fayt's ideas in the creation of the Runological weapon, he made his discomfort about not being the one that orders the shot very clear. If there are lives at stake because of something that he's created, he prefers to be the one to entirely take the blame. It was the same with his crew on the Diplo. He treated everyone equally, even casually, but in the end he took full responsibility for every decision that was made under his command-- including the one that led to Maria becoming the leader of the organization.
Weaknesses:
Physical -
Despite Cliff's impressive strength and agility, he has very little magical ability in a world that is, essentially, a literal JRPG. He doesn't learn any magical skills on his own, and can only really learn support magic with the aid of factors in the game. This weakness puts him at a high risk for incapacitation by opponents that specilize in draining a combatant's pool of magical energy. In the context of playing him in Luceti (or almost anywhere) this means that he has a highly limited capacity to learn any kind of magic, Filial or otherwise. The skills that he is able to learn will also be quite costly.
This is just a detail next to a larger problem. His strength is a double edged sword for him. While he is extremely capable in combat, it's only in a limited capacity. His primary skills are all close range, which puts him at a risk for ranged attacks. Despite his boasts about bullets not affecting Klausians, he still has the same weaknesses as a normal human. He can and will get cut up by claws, be injured by bullets should be be unable to dodge, and is likely to take a lot of damage if the battle is turned against him. This, again because of the world's status of being a literal JRPG, is likely to happen on a not uncommon basis.
Mental -
While in-game dialogue suggests that a standard education in that particular era includes low to mid grade physics and moderate engineering capabilities, it should be pointed out that Cliff is by no means a scientist. He knows that the project that Fayt's parents were working on nineteen years ago is well above his paygrade. Aside from his relative educational level, it is also shown that Cliff has a certain degree of intolerance for those who don't live up to their word, those who oppress the common people, and he is quite stubborn. This stubbornness was what helped him sustain the whippings delivered in the Aeryglyph dungeons with a generally good disposition, but this same stubbornness was what had him almost head out into a battle while still injured in the manga adaptation of the game. He doesn't always listen to the warnings that his friends give him, preferring to rely on his intuition even though it has nearly led himself and Mirage into disaster on their travels, and he can be quite childish when he is on the verbal defensive.
These, along with his personality, are part of why people don't always take him seriously.
Emotional -
Despite his intelligence, Cliff comes across as extremely casual in almost every conversation. This serves him well, because it shows that he doesn't place himself at a position higher than anyone else, but it also means that people don't take him seriously at first. Whether this is intentional or not is unknown, as Cliff vocally complains about this when it is brought up. He also is quite a snarker when the circumstances call for it, and even goes so far as to outright insult someone if they fall short of his standards.
Furthermore, he truly is a boisterous fellow, and he sometimes allows his eagerness to get the better of him. His dialogue in battle, particularly his promises that 'this is gonna hurt', show that he is willing to be just as violent as his opponent in the heat of a fight. With his capabilities, everyone should count themselves lucky that he does have this restraint. Most of the time. His temper can get the better of him when he is openly mocked or insulted, and he takes offence when his pride as a fighter is on the line. His first conversation with Albel Nox in the game nearly ended in disaster when Albel's taunting of Cliff's supposed weakness nearly had Cliff charge in and start a brawl right there-- immediately after they had a rough victory against Albel's second-in-command. Cliff's saving grace in these moments is that he is, above all else, a very reasonable man.
Aside from his generally casual and relaxed personality, there is the additional factor that he did retire from his political position-- despite his relatively young age in comparison with most other politicians. His reasoning was based on one simple fact: that he failed. In a crisis that nearly destroyed his ship, the Diplo, Cliff tried every method that he could evade the attacks and survive. None of these work and, seeing that his hands were tied, he was forced to give up.. Maria, then one of the staff on the bridge, used her own nacent ability to alter the very molecular structure of matter to make it so the Diplo's torpedoes took out the enemy ship. Where he was forced to give up, her will to survive was what saved them all. This was the reason why he handed control over to a woman who was little more than a teenager at the time.
Samples
First Person:
trainingwings thread with Fayt: 12 turns.
Third Person:
It was the most boring vacation ever.
That was Cliff's thought as he punched down a bag in the barracks for the umpteenth time that day. Luceti was a quiet reprieve after the tumult of 4D space and he was more than glad to seize the opportunity to take a break from it, but the quaint village had few diversions to offer. The Battle Dome had been a wonder for Fayt-- the kid could spend hours in there fighting against simulated monster after simulated monster. but it was only a game to Cliff. He wasn't surprised by how Fayt had adapted, given what he knew of his charge's life in college, but Cliff needed something more. Good Spirits was a great place to chill, but there was only so long that a guy could spend in a bar.
Even if he did like a few drinks, he preferred to keep his head.
He threw a roundhouse at the punching bag, but sighed in annoyance at the repetition. The action provided the physical rush, but none of the mental challenge. "Aah. This ain't fun."
The words were uttered to himself, half heartedly, as he stretched his arms over his head with the lazy ease of a professional athelete...or a thuggish brawler that enjoyed kicking over tables a little too much.
But he needed to work on his movements. The wings threw off his balance, and that was more annoying than the outdated plastic bottles that he found in the grocer. Plastic. Seriously? Cliff didn't want to believe it at first, because the featherweight superdurable aluminum bottles had become standard, but it fit in with the overall theme of the location. It was twentieth-century Earth, in a rural area...if he remembered his history correctly. He always did pay attention in class.
Minor annoyances aside, he had a hunch that this little world he was in would become way more interesting, and the very thought that these Mal-whatevers were tossing normal folks into their games rankled him to no end. He trusted that Fayt would feel the same. Were circumstances different, Cliff would have been delighted to recruit the kid and have him stationed on the Diplo, but that wasn't likely in this life. He instead chose to keep his word to Fayt and be there as a bodyguard...and a friend. He would roll with whatever Fayt chose, and that had only provided interesting (and fun) results for him so far.
Name: Stark
Dreamwidth Username:
starkxravingxmad E-mail: caster023@gmail.com
AIM: caster023@gmail.com
Current Characters at Luceti:
Arsene Lupin III |
redjacketthief Character
Name: Cliff Fittir
Fandom: Star Ocean Till the End of Time
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Time Period:
Wing Color: Black
History:
Link to info on the Star Ocean Wiki
Personality: Cliff truly seems to be the embodiment of a stereotypical fighter character in a JRPG-- he's a boisterous, fun loving, and tough man that has a heart of gold underneath the overconfident and even temperamental attitude...but, underneath the casual, laid-back, and sometimes crude demeanor is an uncommon wisdom, intuition, and intellect. Though he is no genius, he has the experience that his fellow party members lack, and his bits of advice that he slips in off hand during the first half of the game show hints of this before the player realizes what's going on. However, his repeated jokes throughout quickly make everyone involved forget about this undercurrent...not that it truly matters to Cliff himself.
As both a Klausian and a member of Quark, Cliff has a high respect for self-reliance, a dislike for the all encompassing order that the Federation represents, and he generally treats everyone on the same level regardless of their age, gender, or social position. A lot of this is an ingrained, cultural quirk...but parts of it are fueled by his own unwilingness to follow a system that goes against his beliefs. Though he introduces himself as merely a member of Quark, it is eventually revealed that Cliff was indeed the founder of this organization, and that he willingly stepped down from that position in favor of working in the background. He is a highly observant, intuitive man with experience in tactics and military strategy, and he is an extremely capable international and even interplanetary negotiator. His retirement from his political 'career' was by his will alone-- he passed the duties off to a young woman that he deemed more than capable of this position, his charge Maria Traydor.
These skills aren't used once more by choice. He prefers his position in the background, and he slowly starts to fill the position of a mentor and advisor as the story goes on, and he chooses to remain in that support position.. During the duration of their stay on Elicoor III, Cliff consistently allowed Fayt to take the reigns of their entire journey, right down to the final decision of whether they helped the kingdom of Aquaria in their war against Aeryglyph or not. Throughout this he offered his subtle support, such as when he temporarily took the reigns when they met Nel to answer he questions, and allowed her own imagination fill in the gaps left in his bare description of their plight. This gave them their cover story, that they were a pair of stranded engineers from the far away country of Greeton, and it allowed them to travel the lands with little outside complaint. His underlying support is shown in other ways too, such as when he manages bluntly cut through the evasions that Clair Lasbard was making in her explanation for Nel's absense when Nel went to rescue her subordinates, Tynave and Farleen. He is also a light sleeper, as he was fully aware of Nel's midnight visit before she set off on her near suicidal rescue attempt, and when he was there to exchange a few words with Fayt on a night when Fayt himself couldn't sleep because of his concerns over a young woman called Ameena. This ties into Cliff's own abilities of observation-- he was the first among the party to realize that Ameena was a very ill young woman....and it allowed him to draw upon his own knowledge and experiences to know exactly what to look for in Fayt's actions that could be an early warning of Fayt unleashing his own raw power of destruction in a fit of emotional outrage.
His laid-back attitude is a boon in these moments, as he is able to keep his cool and diffuse the situation before it even begins to to look like a problem. Unfortunately, his laid-back attitude can reach the extreme ends. He doesn't always follow formalities in negotiations, preferring instead to get to the truth with as little details as possible. He doesn't always bother with preamble, but he does use a degree of charm in these situations. These are the moments when people regret not taking him seriously, as it is the surprise factor and his own charisma that earned him the respect of his people. He is dedicated to his word, to the point where it takes priority over is own misgivings.. Even after it becomes apparent that Fayt doesn't need a bodyguard, Cliff still remains in that position. He genuinely wishes to help Fayt in any capacity that he is able, and he's not going to waver from it for a moment.
Unfortunately, this laid-back attitude can also manifest in a rather explosive temper. His blunt, cutting remarks can quickly shift into mocking threats when his pride as a man is insulted, and this can even border on starting a brawl on impulse if he feels that the offender needs that kind of treatment. Furthermore, he truly loves a good fight, and he throws his all into it. His taunts include straightforward threats of violence, and it's not uncommon to hear him declaring that he's 'gonna pulverize' someone or 'gonna mow them down.' This is what truly makes him a boisterous fighter.
Ultimately, the underlying factor in all of this is Cliff's inherent honesty. Though he is known to gloss over the details of a situation if it seems like they will only cause more trouble, he never tells a direct lie. Furthermore, this is what makes him both a good advisor and a good negotiator. He's straightforward, friendly, good natured, and prefers to keep everything as simple as possible on every occasion. It's the foundation of his every action...and its the core of his person. It's something that he cannot and will not waver on, no matter the games that he does play.
Strengths:
Physical -
'Because I'm such a nice guy, I'll let you in on a little secret. Those bullets of yours don't work on us Klausians.'
These are some of the first words that Cliff says during his first appearance on Vanguard III, right before the battle with the gang leader Norton, and it says so much yet so little about his physical prowess. At first the player assumes that it's a boast of his physical might--but no, it's his speed. A large and physically imposing man, Cliff is stronger and more coordinated than the average Earthling...because he's not one. He hails from the Klaus system of planets, specifically Klaus IV. The main homeworld of that system, Klaus III, is known for its high gravity and low oxygen in comparison to Earth. These harsh conditions have forced the natives to adapt, which accounts to their relative comparison to Olympic level atheletes while on other worlds. Cliff's boast during that first encounter didn't refer to his durability, but his agility. He's able to dodge bullets as if they were toys.
In addition to this, Cliff has had years of martial arts training at the dojo that was run by the father of his long time friend, Mirage Koas. This, combined with his inborn physical capabilities, makes him a fearsome close quarters combatant. He specializes in unarmed combat, preferring to wear a pair of gauntlets in lieu of carrying a gun or a sword. Standard weapons are even a hinderance to him, as his most powerful moves are in his rapid fire punches, his grappling capabilities, and his canonball-like tackles.
In short, Cliff is strong, he knows it, and he's not afraid to use it.
Mental -
The boastful bravado of a man who truly enjoys a good fight covers up a surprising part of Cliff's personality. More than he is a good natured and playful bodyguard, Cliff is a very intelligent man who is knowledgable about tactics, politics, and is generally quite clever. Though he isn't one to state it outright, he is the man who founded the anti-Federation, terrorist organization known as Quark. The player, along with Fayt, spend the first half of the game not even knowing this, as Cliff had positioned himself as both Fayt's abductor and bodyguard. Though he seemed bullheaded at first, there were hints the entire time that he knew far more than he was letting on. He knew from the beginning that Fayt was more than just an average college student, and that Fayt was the target for the Vendeeni battleships that attacked the vacation planet, Hyda IV, and Cliff's transport ship. the Eagle, during their short journey. However, part of the reason that he didn't reveal this to Fayt was because he knew exactly what Fayt was capable of. The raw power of destruction that was encoded in Fayt's very DNA had the potential to activate in moments of extreme emotional duress--Cliff's evasions of the entire truth were to spare both Fayt and the surrounding people the sheer trauma of this power uncontrollably awakening.
He evades the full truth only at times when the details would only complicate things. The first example was when they were rescued by Nel from the Aeryglyph dungeons. Upon her demands to know who they were and why they were in that country, he gave her the short version of their situation and let her own imagination fill in the gaps. This, effectively, gave them their cover story during their stay on Elicoor III.
Besides this capacity to be quick on his feet, Cliff is a very observant individual who has been known to keep his own counsel. That said, he never once tells a direct lie to any of the people that he's dealing with, and his own intelligence and experience allowed him to effectively encourage the queen of Aquaria to seek a truce with the king of Aeryglyph in the manga adaptation. He's also a skilled negotiator, when he choses to be.
But only when he so chooses.
Emotional -
'I've got a hunch...'
Besides being intelligent and strong, Cliff is able to keep a clear head in even the most desperate of situations. His own intelligence guides him, but so does his intuition. He relies on his experience, his 'hunches' and his trust in others to help him guide everyone through difficult situations, and his absolute confidence in his and everyone else's capabilities does much to keep the party's spirits up. Even in the face of desperate circumstances, his confidence never once wavers-- in fact, he's quite boastful and will taunt his enemies prior to a battle, once again because he truly enjoys the thrill of the fight. In the manga adaptation of the game, this same confidence is both genuine and used to help gloss over the details after he was injured in a fight with Albel the Wicked. Though he won, he was injured enough that performing his own attacks caused him discomfort and urged Maria to order him to stay down while she and Fayt went to the Temple of Apris in search for the Sacred Orb that was hidden underneath its foundation. Similarly, he covers any hint of uncertainty with his confidence. The only clue that he was at all concerned about the demands that the Vendeeni made of Quark in regards to Fayt, Professor Leingod, and Sophia was in his silence when Mirage bade him 'good luck'. His only reply was to not look at her and pat her shoulder, as he knew they were walking into a trap that he couldn't find a way out of.
Along with his confidence, his playfulness is also genuine. He is a man that truly loves his work, even when the details become complicated. Though, these same complications were probably a factor in his decision to step down as the Leader of Quark and hand the reigns over to his young charge, Maria Traydor. The larger reason was that she, infact, saved his life and the lives of the rest of the crew on the Diplo with her own nacent powers. This incident brought many questions to light for Maria, and she devoted her everything to finding the answers. Upon seeing her potential as a leader and the questions that she would only be able to answer with the full resources that Quark could provide. He willingly stepped down, and chose to act as advisor, field agent, and bodyguard for the young woman in a capacity similar to how he treats Fayt. He stepped back entirely and allowed his charges to call the shots with the promise of his undying support. He handed the decision over whether or not they would help Aquaria finish their Runological weapon entirely up to Fayt. This tendency is observed throughout, and he even insists that he go along when Fayt makes the impulsive decision to rescue Ameena from the mountains after she collapsed. He doesn't mind taking on this role either, as the spotlight isn't necessary for him to be fairly content in what he does.
Underneath his confidence and level headed demeanor is a heavy humanitarian streak. It's mentioned in in-game dialogue that Cliff founded Quark in part because he was sick of seeing the common people suffer because of a war that they weren't a part of. It was made as an egalitarian aid group that offered support where the Federation couldn't, no matter the allegiance of the planet or colony that they were helping. When this was commented on, he brushed it off. "Nah. It was nothing like that. I just don't like taking orders from people I don't like." This trait is complimented by his sense of duty and responsibility. Though he was willing to follow Fayt's ideas in the creation of the Runological weapon, he made his discomfort about not being the one that orders the shot very clear. If there are lives at stake because of something that he's created, he prefers to be the one to entirely take the blame. It was the same with his crew on the Diplo. He treated everyone equally, even casually, but in the end he took full responsibility for every decision that was made under his command-- including the one that led to Maria becoming the leader of the organization.
Weaknesses:
Physical -
Despite Cliff's impressive strength and agility, he has very little magical ability in a world that is, essentially, a literal JRPG. He doesn't learn any magical skills on his own, and can only really learn support magic with the aid of factors in the game. This weakness puts him at a high risk for incapacitation by opponents that specilize in draining a combatant's pool of magical energy. In the context of playing him in Luceti (or almost anywhere) this means that he has a highly limited capacity to learn any kind of magic, Filial or otherwise. The skills that he is able to learn will also be quite costly.
This is just a detail next to a larger problem. His strength is a double edged sword for him. While he is extremely capable in combat, it's only in a limited capacity. His primary skills are all close range, which puts him at a risk for ranged attacks. Despite his boasts about bullets not affecting Klausians, he still has the same weaknesses as a normal human. He can and will get cut up by claws, be injured by bullets should be be unable to dodge, and is likely to take a lot of damage if the battle is turned against him. This, again because of the world's status of being a literal JRPG, is likely to happen on a not uncommon basis.
Mental -
While in-game dialogue suggests that a standard education in that particular era includes low to mid grade physics and moderate engineering capabilities, it should be pointed out that Cliff is by no means a scientist. He knows that the project that Fayt's parents were working on nineteen years ago is well above his paygrade. Aside from his relative educational level, it is also shown that Cliff has a certain degree of intolerance for those who don't live up to their word, those who oppress the common people, and he is quite stubborn. This stubbornness was what helped him sustain the whippings delivered in the Aeryglyph dungeons with a generally good disposition, but this same stubbornness was what had him almost head out into a battle while still injured in the manga adaptation of the game. He doesn't always listen to the warnings that his friends give him, preferring to rely on his intuition even though it has nearly led himself and Mirage into disaster on their travels, and he can be quite childish when he is on the verbal defensive.
These, along with his personality, are part of why people don't always take him seriously.
Emotional -
Despite his intelligence, Cliff comes across as extremely casual in almost every conversation. This serves him well, because it shows that he doesn't place himself at a position higher than anyone else, but it also means that people don't take him seriously at first. Whether this is intentional or not is unknown, as Cliff vocally complains about this when it is brought up. He also is quite a snarker when the circumstances call for it, and even goes so far as to outright insult someone if they fall short of his standards.
Furthermore, he truly is a boisterous fellow, and he sometimes allows his eagerness to get the better of him. His dialogue in battle, particularly his promises that 'this is gonna hurt', show that he is willing to be just as violent as his opponent in the heat of a fight. With his capabilities, everyone should count themselves lucky that he does have this restraint. Most of the time. His temper can get the better of him when he is openly mocked or insulted, and he takes offence when his pride as a fighter is on the line. His first conversation with Albel Nox in the game nearly ended in disaster when Albel's taunting of Cliff's supposed weakness nearly had Cliff charge in and start a brawl right there-- immediately after they had a rough victory against Albel's second-in-command. Cliff's saving grace in these moments is that he is, above all else, a very reasonable man.
Aside from his generally casual and relaxed personality, there is the additional factor that he did retire from his political position-- despite his relatively young age in comparison with most other politicians. His reasoning was based on one simple fact: that he failed. In a crisis that nearly destroyed his ship, the Diplo, Cliff tried every method that he could evade the attacks and survive. None of these work and, seeing that his hands were tied, he was forced to give up.. Maria, then one of the staff on the bridge, used her own nacent ability to alter the very molecular structure of matter to make it so the Diplo's torpedoes took out the enemy ship. Where he was forced to give up, her will to survive was what saved them all. This was the reason why he handed control over to a woman who was little more than a teenager at the time.
Samples
First Person:
trainingwings thread with Fayt: 12 turns.
Third Person:
It was the most boring vacation ever.
That was Cliff's thought as he punched down a bag in the barracks for the umpteenth time that day. Luceti was a quiet reprieve after the tumult of 4D space and he was more than glad to seize the opportunity to take a break from it, but the quaint village had few diversions to offer. The Battle Dome had been a wonder for Fayt-- the kid could spend hours in there fighting against simulated monster after simulated monster. but it was only a game to Cliff. He wasn't surprised by how Fayt had adapted, given what he knew of his charge's life in college, but Cliff needed something more. Good Spirits was a great place to chill, but there was only so long that a guy could spend in a bar.
Even if he did like a few drinks, he preferred to keep his head.
He threw a roundhouse at the punching bag, but sighed in annoyance at the repetition. The action provided the physical rush, but none of the mental challenge. "Aah. This ain't fun."
The words were uttered to himself, half heartedly, as he stretched his arms over his head with the lazy ease of a professional athelete...or a thuggish brawler that enjoyed kicking over tables a little too much.
But he needed to work on his movements. The wings threw off his balance, and that was more annoying than the outdated plastic bottles that he found in the grocer. Plastic. Seriously? Cliff didn't want to believe it at first, because the featherweight superdurable aluminum bottles had become standard, but it fit in with the overall theme of the location. It was twentieth-century Earth, in a rural area...if he remembered his history correctly. He always did pay attention in class.
Minor annoyances aside, he had a hunch that this little world he was in would become way more interesting, and the very thought that these Mal-whatevers were tossing normal folks into their games rankled him to no end. He trusted that Fayt would feel the same. Were circumstances different, Cliff would have been delighted to recruit the kid and have him stationed on the Diplo, but that wasn't likely in this life. He instead chose to keep his word to Fayt and be there as a bodyguard...and a friend. He would roll with whatever Fayt chose, and that had only provided interesting (and fun) results for him so far.